HITLER’S ARDENNES OFFENSIVE The German View of the Battle of the Bulge

Hitler’s Ardennes Offensive – known to the Germans as Wacht am Rhein and to the Allies as the Battle of the Bulge – was intended to turn the course of the war in Germany s favour. The ferocity of the offensive took the Allies by surprise and it has gone down in history as one of the most significant campaigns of the war. Many accounts of the battle have tended towards the perspective of the Allied victors, lacking first-hand detail about German intentions and operations. This book, however, vividly recounts how Hitler and his generals perceived the progress and ultimate failure of their final great assault. In this impressive volume, historian Danny S. Parker has brought together many rare documents representing the views of all the major personalities within the German army headquarters. These include Oberstgruppenführer Josef Dietrich and Generalmajor Fritz Krämer, General Hasso von Manteuffel, Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel and others. Everything from preparations for the offensive, to attitudes during the campaign and after it was brought to a close are covered, providing a fascinating and invaluable record of the German perspective – essential for a balanced view of the battle.